Guantanamo hearing delayed for accused Cole bomber

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico 
The Pentagon says a Guantanamo prisoner accused of planning the 2000 attack on the USS Cole will make his first appearance before a judge next month.

Abd al-Nashiri is to be arraigned Nov. 9 at the U.S. military base in Cuba on charges that include murder in violation of the law of war. The attack on the U.S. destroyer killed 17 sailors and wounded 40.

The arraignment had been set for Oct. 26. But defense lawyer Navy Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Reyes said Thursday that the date has been changed because of a scheduling conflict.

Al-Nashiri could face the death penalty if convicted. He has been in U.S. custody since 2002, part of that time in the CIA's clandestine prison system.